Machine fob husking corn



2 Sheets-Sheet I. H. STRAIT.

Corn Husker.

No. 16,758. Patented March 3, 1857.

Trill/65 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2.

H. STRAIT.

Corn Husker.

-No. 16,758. Patented March 3, 1857.

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l 15 II I l l W W H G 7 3 I I I W I a I z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM STRAIT, OF GOVINGTON, KENTUCKY.

MACHINE FOR HUSKING CORN.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,758, dated March 3 1857.

To all whom it may concern Be it known-that I, HIRAM STRAIT, of Covington, Kenton county, Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Husking or shucking Corn, and that the following is a full description and illustration of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Similar letters stand for similar parts.

Figure l is a horizontal section and Fig. 2 a perspective View of my improved shucker, showing the position and connection of its different parts. i

D (Fig. 2) is a vertical toothed drum of any required diameter. Its height is to be a little more than the average length of cars of corn. It can be made solid or hollow and if hollow, may have an opening in its top, to receive additional weight where greater fly-power is wanted.

A is the axle that supports it vertically so as to revolve horizontally; P is a pulley to apply the power by a belt and M, beveled wheels to apply the power by means of a horizontal crank.

F is a platform to support the machine and hold it fast when in operation.

R R is a broad, strong and circular rim of a corresponding diameter, supported and fastened by several pillars or legs, L L on the plat-form and just below the drum. B B is the connection of this rim to the axle A. All the ear-holders are adjusted and fastened on the top of the rim R B so as to hold the ears all vertically against the teeth of the drum, so as to shuck them. Each earholder and its accompanying open space in front of it, to discharge the shucks and ear in, is intended to occupy seven or more inches of the circumference of this rim and the whole rim can thus be occupied all around, so that the larger the drum, the more numerous may be the ear-holders and the ears that may be shucking at the same time.

K (Fig. l) is a projecting knife, cutter or saw, fastened to the base of the drum, to cut off the lower ends of the ears even or nearly so to the corn, so as to loosen and detach the whole shuck at once. Every revolution of this knife is intended thus to clip all the ears in all the ear-holders on the rim that are in reach and presented against the drum. X is a projecting cam, attached also to the base of the drum and opposite or nearly so to the knife K, to open the fronts on doors of the ear-holders as it revolves, so as to discharge the ears when shucked and also to act on the ear-rests so as to bring the ears against the teeth of the drum.

The ear-holders are to receive, hold and press the ears vertically against the drum and its knife until shucked and then discharge them as the cam revolves and opens their fronts. The ears for shucking must always be placed in the ear-holders with the big ends down. The ears maybe introduced against the drum either in a vertical holder or pocket V; in an inclined one I or in. a horizontal one H. Each holder consists essentially of a case or box to hold one or more ears at a time in a vertical position against the drum and a slotted rest to support them while shucking and a door in front to discharge them when shucked.

O in all the ear-holders is an edged hole or slot in which the ears rest and rotate as the drum and knife revolve. The doors of the ear-holders may either swing as in Fig. 3 or slide as in Figs. 4 and 5. They are to be closed by springs S S and opened by the revolution of the cam X. The doors of the ear-holders are to be toothed and vertically beveled on the inside, so as to allow the ears to rotate without binding them too much. The inside of each ear-holder may be toothed its whole length when it slides in contact with a series of cars.

The ear-holders and their slotted rests may have a separate or combined adjustment and attachment to the rim R R by means of screws or wedges. The drum at top may be inclosed or left open. The ears may be introduced vertically or horizontally to the ear-holders according to their construction.

What I claim as my invention, is

1. The tootheddrum D with its projecting saw or knife K and cam X in combination with one or more ear-holders V, I, H arranged substantially as specified.

2. I also claim the ear-holders V, I, and H when constructed and arranged substantially in the manner specified.

HIRAM STRAIT.

Witnesses:

BENJ. EGELSTON, JAMES C. HOWARD. 

